Topical
A while ago, I happened to be listening to the old Redgum tune, I Was Only 19. I noticed somethin' a bit off, but didn't bother blogging it, 'cos I had my chance back in the late seventies when it was released. Admittedly I was born in the late seventies, and there were few to no blogs around at that time, but hey, they're just excuses.
But then Aussie hip-hoppers The Herd covered the song, bringing it squarely back into the realm of popular discourse. So now I'm allowed - by my own self-imposed rules - to bore you with my observation:
"Franky kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon
God help me... he was goin' home in June".
It got me wondering. Mankind kicked the moon on 21 July, 1969. So if Franky kicked a mine that day, he still had eleven months left in his tour. It's not exactly getting shot by a drug dealer the day before you retire from the force. (McBain: Mendoza!!!).
And one for the vets out there: would Franky have even known, that far in advance, that he was going home in June?
To the non-Australian contingent: this post is regarding Australian Vietnam War ballad I Was Only 19. If you're interested.
And finally to Franky, if you're real and not just a fabrication of John Schumann's: Sorry about the legs, mate.
That's all, really.
But then Aussie hip-hoppers The Herd covered the song, bringing it squarely back into the realm of popular discourse. So now I'm allowed - by my own self-imposed rules - to bore you with my observation:
"Franky kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon
God help me... he was goin' home in June".
It got me wondering. Mankind kicked the moon on 21 July, 1969. So if Franky kicked a mine that day, he still had eleven months left in his tour. It's not exactly getting shot by a drug dealer the day before you retire from the force. (McBain: Mendoza!!!).
And one for the vets out there: would Franky have even known, that far in advance, that he was going home in June?
To the non-Australian contingent: this post is regarding Australian Vietnam War ballad I Was Only 19. If you're interested.
And finally to Franky, if you're real and not just a fabrication of John Schumann's: Sorry about the legs, mate.
That's all, really.
posted by Dayne at 10:58
9 Comments:
No idea what youre on about dude, right over my head
There's an anotated set of lyrics over at the Gregory Terrace site (of all places).
And Franky is a real dude... I remember seeing a photo of him being wheeled onstage to meet John Schumann for the first time since they'd left Vietnam (or something like that). I think it might have been at a parade held in Sydney in the late 80's, but not 100% on that. Might have to search around a bit.
I always thought that the battle they 'hooked into for hours' was the Battle of Long Tan, what with him being in the 6th Battalion, and D Coy of 6 RAR winning the US Presidential Citation for that battle.
However, Long Tan happened in 1966 (August?), so the timing doesn't fit there either.
Franky may well have known he was going home in June, as generally troops are deployed for a fixed tour (at least they are now).
Giving in to the pedant in me...
>"Franky kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon
God help me... he was goin' home in June".
Wasn't it "God help him..."?
> No idea what youre on about dude, right over my head
It's an Aussie thing...
> Wasn't it "God help him..."?
Read your own shit, man. The lyrics to which you linked are "God help me", even for the Franky verse. And for what it's worth, I'm listenin' to the Herd version now, and they sing "God help me" as well.
> Franky may well have known he was going home in June.
And yeah, fair enough, but still... stepping on a mine when you know you're on your way home in eleven months isn't exactly the same as Colonel Henry Potter being shot down over the Sea of Japan[. It spun in. There were no survivors.]" on his way home.
But anyway... artistic license. It's all good.
So let me get this straight.
Did Franky kick the mine on purpose because he couldn't stand another 11 months on tour?..or was it just an accident and a shame?
"..stepping on a mine when you know you're on your way home in eleven months isn't exactly the same as Colonel Henry Potter being shot down over the Sea of Japan[. It spun in. There were no survivors.]" on his way home.
To be just as picky, it was colonel henry blake that was shot down, not potter. Besides, it's all tragic really.
> Did Franky kick the mine on purpose because he couldn't stand another 11 months on tour?..or was it just an accident and a shame?
Nah, just an accident and a shame. As far as I know.
> To be just as picky, it was colonel henry blake that was shot down, not potter.
You are of course correct, Anon.
> Besides, it's all tragic really.
And that is possibly the most important point of all, rather than my pedantic chronology of the song.
Good to see you back Down Under.
Keep in touch and when you are coming down this-a-way...you both are welcome to hang out at our coastal suburbia.
Sarah
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